Top 10 Emerging Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Markets and Market Developments in Unconventional Oil

January 11th, 2013

The top 10 emerging oil and gas exploration and production markets include: the US Gulf of Mexico, Eagle Ford shale, Canada, the Santos basin in Brazils offshore region, Venezuela, Colombia, Poland and France in Europe, the western Siberian basin, Angola and Ghana in West Africa, and Mozambique and Tanzania in East Africa.

Of these 10 markets, Canada and Venezuela combined make up over 25% of the worlds extra-heavy oil and oil sands in proved oil reserves. In 2011, production from Canadas oil sands and Venezuelas extra-heavy oil belt posted approximately 581.9 MMbbl (million barrels) and 206.1 MMbbl, respectively. Set against the larger picture of oil production, unconventional oil only represented 3.1% of the global oil production industry in 2011. Meanwhile, sustained high crude oil prices continue to encourage the development of unconventional oil resources.

Global Top 10 Emerging Oil and Gas Exploration and Production (E&P) Markets - Market Analysis, Investment Scenario and Production Forecasts to 2020

In the Gulf of Mexico, although the number of new deepwater drilling permits declined since 2009, a rebound between September 2011 and March 2012 signaled a reduction in permit approval time and a gradual return to pre-blowout levels. These positive trends point to expectations that deepwater drilling in the US Gulf of Mexico will soon return to activity levels recorded before April 2010.

More highlights from the top 10 emerging oil and gas E&P markets include: Eagle ford shale - a sedimentary shale rock formation spanning 23 countries in south and east Texas - will emerge as a major crude oil production hub in the US. Home to 96% of the worlds oil sands, Canada has the third largest proved oil reserves on Earth. The Santos basin holds the highest volume of hydrocarbon reserves within the Brazilian subsalt region. Venezuela is the second largest developer of extra heavy oil reserves after Canada. In terms of resource potential, Poland and France represent key geographical locations for shale gas development in Europe. Angola and Ghana lead deep offshore oil and gas exploration in West Africa while Mozambique and Tanzania lead East Africa in the number of oil and gas discoveries made up until September 2012.

This report provides an overview of the top 10 emerging oil and gas E&P markets around the globe. An analysis of the major drivers and challenges affecting these leading markets, major exploration blocks and sedimentary basins, historic and projected crude oil and natural gas production are all provided in addition to financial deals activity and competitive landscape analyses.

Oil and Gas Exploration and Production in the North Sea - Market Analysis, Competitive Landscape and Forecast to 2020

Highlights from this report include: drivers of and challenges to oil and gas exploration and production in the North Sea region; major littoral countries contributions to the North Sea regions total oil and gas production; key companies engaged in oil and gas exploration and production industry in the North Sea region; gross oil and gas production from the North Sea region, forecast until 2020; key exploration and production environment and infrastructure details in the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany; and an overview of the competitive landscape of the companies engaged in exploration and production activities in the North Sea region

Sustained high crude oil prices have been instrumental in making the development of unconventional oil resources economically viable. Oil prices above a certain threshold are essential for the development of unconventional oil projects as the development costs of unconventional oil projects are generally higher and therefore needs high oil prices to make them economical. Despite this seemingly precarious factor in the industrys development, the price of crude oil is expected to remain over $80 per barrel in the long-term future and thus the development of production from unconventional oil projects remains attractive for oil companies.

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